In situ high‑temperature behaviour and breakdown conditions of uvite at room pressure

The thermal behaviour of an uvite from San Piero in Campo (Elba Island, Italy) was investigated at room pressure through in situ high-temperature powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD), until the breakdown conditions were reached. The variation of uvite structural parameters (unit-cell parameters and mean bond distances) was monitored together with site occupancies and we observed the thermally induced Fe oxidation process counterbalanced by (OH)− deprotonation, which starts at 450 °C and is completed at 650 °C. The uvite breakdown reaction occurs between 800 and 900 °C. The breakdown products were identified at room temperature by PXRD and the breakdown reaction can be described as follows: tourmaline → indialite + yuanfuliite + plagioclase + “boron-mullite” phase + hematite.